Health aNd Fitness Guide

This is the second post in a series of Workout and Nutrition Tips by Jason Gremley.

Many beginning weight trainers (and even some experienced ones) lack an understanding of the basic principles by which working out with weights results in gaining muscle. Understanding these fundamental concepts will help you reach your goals faster and without wasted effort.

The following is an overview of the basic principles governing the three core elements of a weight training program: working out, nutrition, and rest/recovery.

1. Working Out. Quite a few beginners mistakenly believe that muscle growth occurs while you are in the gym. Wrong. It is true that during a workout blood rushes in to the muscles being exercised, causing them to be temporarily enlarged. But within a couple hours, this “pump” will subside and the muscles will actually be smaller than before because of micro-damage to the muscle fibers.During the days that follow, the recovery process will take place and, if conditions are right, the muscles will end up being slightly larger and stronger than before the workout. The body overcompensates in order to make muscles better able to handle any similar workouts in the future. True muscle growth thus takes place at the end of the recovery process - perhaps while you are asleep or reading a book - not while you are in the gym.The body adjusts to the stresses it encounters, and in order to keep making progress you must continually challenge your muscles with slightly heavier weights or various workout intensity techniques. That is the concept of “progressive resistance.” If you focus on good form and really concentrate on the muscles being worked, you can get a better workout than someone using heavier weights but with sloppy form.Each complete movement of an exercise is a repetition or rep and each group of continuous reps until you can do no more is a set. Sets of 5-8 reps with heavy weights tend to build muscle size and strength. Sets of 12-15 reps with light weights tend to build endurance and increase definition. Sets of 8-12 reps are good for both size and definition. In the members area, we are providing some sample workouts for various bodyparts.
2. Nutrition. Good nutrition is crucial to successfully transforming your body. Adequate amounts of protein spaced throughout the day are essential for gaining muscle and also helpful in losing bodyfat. The standard bodybuilding guideline for men is to consume one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, with the guideline for women being somewhat lower. A chicken breast typically has about 25 grams of protein, a cup of yogurt has about 9 grams, and a whole egg has 6 grams. Protein shakes and meal replacement products usually have between 20 and 40 grams of protein per serving. Consuming a lowfat source of protein before bedtime provides your body with a source of amino acids throughout the night.Eat 5-6 small meals a day, tapering off your starchy carbs (like bread and pasta) as the day goes on. Good fats, like those in salmon and flaxseed oil, are important for your health and should not be avoided even if you are on a lowfat diet. Vitamins and minerals are also important for optimum health — particularly Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and zinc.
3. Rest/Recovery. Get adequate sleep since most muscle growth is believed to occur while you are sleeping. Also, take at least one day a week completely off from weights and cardio to help your body recuperate. Never directly work out a muscle that is still sore from a previous workout — if you do you will be overtraining and not giving the muscle a chance to rebuild. Allow at least 48 hours between workouts for a particular muscle group and at least 72 hours is better.